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Imagine “Pretty Woman” starring Molly Ringwald. Or “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with Tom Selleck as leading man. How about “The Graduate” with Robert Redford playing Benjamin Braddock — instead of Dustin Hoffman?

It’s only on the rare occasion that viewers try to imagine a different cast, that’s when they realize the impact of such decisions.

Try to consider the 1980s sitcom “Family Ties” without Michael J. Fox playing uber-Republican Alex P. Keaton. It seems almost impossible now, but the television studio only offered the now-iconic part to Fox after first-choice Matthew Broderick passed on the role.

Making the right casting call is crucial to financial success in entertainment, which is why a casting director (either employed by the studio or working on a freelance basis) as well as a director, producer, and studio executives weigh in on the decisions.

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source: In Pictures: 10 Career-Changing Roles That Weren’t [forbes]

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